News Releases

May162018

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) questioned Secretary of the Army Mark Esper and Army Chief of Staff Mark Milley in a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense hearing yesterday to review the Army’s FY2019 budget request and justification for the Army. Sen. Moran drew attention to the Army’s stationing process and emphasized the importance of quality of life factors in local communities to the Army leaders.

“As we know, the Army recruits soldiers, but retains families,” said Sen. Moran. “The Army’s stationing process has a long-term impact on the health of the Army, taxpayers, soldiers and families stationed at Fort Riley and Fort Leavenworth and Kansans living in surrounding communities. I’m concerned the Army’s current process is not comprehensive, transparent or objective. I fear the Army’s analysis is prioritizing options that are fast and cheap in the near-term to the detriment of long-term benefits and cost savings. I sought Sec. Esper’s commitment to consider the total lifecycle cost of a stationing decision, and asked Gen. Milley to closely examine Army’s selective interpretation of home-station training space in the analysis, as well. The total lifecycle cost of a stationing decision impacts energy and utility expenses, local construction costs, cost of living and housing allowances for soldiers and families and impacts operating costs for the entire installation – I am confident the Army will receive a return on investment with a stationing selection in Kansas.”

“The quality of life at Kansas installations offers soldiers and their families outstanding lifelong experiences and should be a factor when the Army makes long-term decisions which will impact military recruitment and retention decades from now,” continued Sen. Moran. “I was pleased to hear the Army leaders commit to studying the long-term fiscal impacts of stationing decisions and to increase the transparency of the Army’s process. I look forward to my questions being answered by the end of the week.”

Last month, Sen. Moran led the Kansas congressional delegation in writing to Sec. Esper and Chief of Staff Milley to emphasize the value Fort Riley offers the Army as it considers force structure decisions expected this summer.